Why Should I Be NAILS Next Top Nail Artist?

We asked our Top 3 to give us their pitch as to WHY they should be named NAILS Next Top Nail Artist. Here’s what they said:

Danielle Costantino: “I deserve to be Next Top Nail Artist! I live and breathe for this industry. It’s my first love, my passion, and my creative escape. I want to complete this journey and attain one of my dreams. I want to prove to myself that I can finish this out strong and take home that trophy! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I get to wake up and do something I love each and every day. I see a light inside myself that’s been lit during NTNA and I will never let it burn out. I will always be a positive voice and representative for NAILS and NTNA. I love traveling, I love working at the shows, I love meeting new people. I’m a people person. I get along with everyone I meet. I’m always smiling, always positive. I want to inspire people. I want to help spark creativity in other nail techs. I want to remind people how lucky they are to be in this industry. I’m so excited to think about the amazing opportunities that would come my way if I win. I will be able to take care of my son, mom, and grandparents the way they should be taking care of. This is bigger than myself; I have a lot of people depending on me. I would love nothing more than to show them dreams come true with hard work. I tear up just thinking about how much this means to me. I want to thank everyone who has made this possible for me and failure is NOT an option!”

Lavette Cephus: “Top 3! Wow, this is surreal! This entire competition has been an experience unparalleled to any other. As a single mother and a business owner I already had a lot on my plate when I began this journey. Though the prize seemed to be out of my reach, I knew it was a challenge that I could endure. Though it was difficult, I continued to chase my dream of becoming NAILS Next Top Nail Artist, letting nothing deter me. I made a conscious decision to believe in myself, embracing my faith with paintbrush in hand. I made art my outlet. Every week my artwork evoked the feelings I experienced during each nail challenge: anxiety, elation, creativity, self-doubt, thrill and happiness. The best way for me to find inspiration for the competition is to take what I learn from life and apply it to my art. When I found nail art, I found my purpose, my calling. I want to be the Next Top Nail Artist to teach others to do the same. I will inspire others to find their paths in life and explore that restless urge to find themselves. I will be for others what NTNA 2014 has been for me! When you take a look back on my journey throughout this competition you can see the ups and downs. There is no straight path to success; you take a breath, grit your teeth and dig your nails in it! I have done just that. When I began this competition I didn’t know how far I would make it; I just knew that I wouldn’t give up for any reason. I entered into this challenge to prove to myself, my daughter, and anyone that needs a guiding light, that you can own your dreams. I want to inspire people of all walks of life and by becoming NAILS Next Top Nail Artist I will do just that!”

Lexi Martone: “I’ve always been an artist. It was just in me. I’ve explored just about every area of art there is. I found my love of fashion design in high school and thought it was the only thing I ever wanted to do. When I went to college I discovered that I was wrong. Designing wasn’t fun anymore and everything that I had loved about it was no longer there. I left school and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t pick up a pencil for months. Along the way I stumbled upon this whole nail world. It was new. It was different. It was something I had no experience with but I knew I liked it. It opened up a whole new world of art and design that I never really knew existed. Who knew “painting your nails” could be an art. I took on designing in a whole new way and fell in love with art again. There was a piece of me missing when I stopped designing. It was the only thing I really knew and wanted to do. Nail art has filled that missing piece. It’s another form of fashion — another form of wearable art that anyone can wear. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, nail art is for everyone. I want to continue to show people the true art behind nails. We aren’t just “polishing our nails”. Each new set of nails is another 10 tiny works of art to create. I want to bring nail art to a whole new level that no one has seen before. I am completely dedicated to my craft and have shown in just two short years what I am capable of doing. But as far as I’ve come there is always room to push it one step further. As NAILS Next Top Nail Artist, that’s exactly what I plan to do.”